Labour seeks life insurance for essential workers

The United Labour Congress (ULC) has called on government to work with relevant sector stakeholders, to put in place a hazard and life insurance package for workers exposed to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Union argued that a proper insurance for these workers would indemnify them against the risks they are exposed to at this time as they go to work on daily basis.

President of ULC, Joe Ajaero, also called on the Federal Government to urgently send COVID-19 relief package to these set of workers who are yet to receive any.

ULC suggested the setting up of a comprehensive national response taskforce that would involve all the major national stakeholders in the battle against the disease.

They urged private sector employers who have their workers out during this period must also be compelled to put in place adequate compensation packages for the workers exposed to the vagaries of the pandemic.

It is either government makes the transfers directly to the affected workers or they work with the employers to put in place a scheme to take care of these workers.

“Being at the frontlines of this battle, we strongly believe that they ought to be at the frontlines of receiving this package if they do exist as we have seen in the media. They deserve it and our appreciation of these hard working men and women should not just be in commendation but in deliverables that would help them manage their lives and families more effectively at this time.

“It is only such an all-encompassing body that can craft an effective coherent strategy to defeat the pandemic in Nigeria. This is the experience we have coming out of the Ebola Outbreak and we must not allow that to be lost.

The union bemoaned the continued manhandling of essential services workers by security agencies, urging that their protection remains critical in the minds of all actors within the society.

ULC said if these workers cannot work, the battle against the disease is dead on arrival, adding that “It is only when the environment allows them to do their work unfettered that the collective effort against COVID-19 can be successful.”